Stories of
American Heroes -
Brought to you from the "Home of Heroes" - Pueblo, Colorado

Harold Herman Moon, Jr.

TAPS

Fading light dims the sight,
And a star gems the sky,
Gleaming bright.
From afar drawing nigh,
Falls the night.

Day is done, gone the sun,
From the lake, From the hills,
From the sky.
All is well, safely rest,
God is nigh.

Then good night, Peaceful night,
Till the light of the dawn
Shineth bright,
God is near, do not fear,
Friend, good night.

Sunset Memorial Gardens
9-56-1

Born:March 15, 1921 at
Albuquerque, NM

Entered
Service in the US Army from Gardena, CA

Earned The Medal of Honor During World War II For heroism
October 21, 1944 at Pawig,
Leyte, Philippine Islands

Died:October
21, 1944 at the age of 23

Private Moon
was in a forward position on a beachhead where he met the brunt
of a strong, well-supported night attack. Men in nearby
positions were killed or injured, and Private Moon was wounded
as his foxhole became the target of mortar and machinegun fire.
He maintained his stand, firing into the enemy, and daringly
exposed himself to hostile fire time after time. A Japanese
officer attempted to knock out his position with grenades, but
Private Moon killed him. When the enemy advanced a light
machinegun within 20 yards of the shattered perimeter and fired
with telling effects, he stood up to locate the gun and remained
exposed while calling back range corrections to friendly mortars
which knocked out the weapon. Later he killed two enemy as they
charged an aid man. At dawn his position was the focal point of
attack for more than four hours, and was virtually surrounded.
An entire enemy platoon charged with fixed bayonets. Private
Moon calmly emptied his magazine into the advancing horde,
killing 18 and repulsing the attack. In a final display of
bravery, he stood up to throw a grenade at a machinegun and was
hit and instantly killed. Nearly 200 dead Japanese were found
within 100 yards of his foxhole.